Geomob

In this episode of the Geomob podcast, Ed interviews Gregory Marler, a key member of the OpenStreetMap community an organizer of the State of the Map Europe conference (14-15 Nov 2025). They discuss the upcoming event in Dundee, Scotland, its logistics, audience engagement, and the importance of community participation in the geospatial field. Gregory shares insights on the conference format, prop...

In this episode of the Geomob podcast, host Alastair speaks with Laura O'Brien and Lewis Rattray from Frontierra, an environmental geospatial consultancy. They discuss the integration of satellite data into financial institutions to assess climate and nature risks. The conversation covers the role of geospatial data in decision-making, the importance of understanding nature-related risks, and the...

Ed chats with Jussi Aho, now a Senior Product Manager at UP42, but previously at HERE. Jussi recently wrote an article about his unique experience working undercover as a delivery rider to gain insights into last-mile delivery challenges. They discuss the geospatial aspects of routing, the emotional and physical challenges faced by riders, and the importance of understanding user experience in pro...

In this conversation, Ed and Steven recap recent Geomob events in Barcelona and London, discussing attendance challenges and the cultural differences affecting participation. They highlight innovative talks from various speakers, focusing on geospatial technology applications in education, delivery solutions, and safety mapping. The discussion also touches on new developments like India's DigiPin...

In this episode of the Geomob podcast, Alastair is joined by guests Henry Rodman and Jonas Sølvsteen to discuss the EO API, a new initiative from Development Seed aimed at improving access to geospatial data. They cover their backgrounds in geospatial technology before turning to the API, focusing on how it works and its intended purpose. They delve into the STAC specification, its importance for...

Ed interviews Luís de Sousa about Discrete Global Grid Systems (DGGS), a transformative technology in the field of GIS. Luis explains the concept of DGGS, its historical context, and its significance in providing a more regular and usable partition of the Earth's surface compared to traditional latitude and longitude systems. The conversation covers the evolution of DGGS, its applications in vario...

Ed and Steven discuss the recent Geomob Berlin event, highlighting its success and the innovative projects presented by various speakers. They also touch on upcoming events in London and Barcelona, and share updates on OpenCage's developments, including AI integration. Show notes on the Geomob website , where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.

In this episode of the Geomob Podcast, Philip Kershaw of CEDA ( Centre for Environmental Data Analysis) discusses the Earth Observation Data Hub (EODH), a new initiative funded by the UK government aimed at improving access to environmental data. He explains the evolution of the JASMIN facility and the CEMS initiative, highlighting the importance of interoperability and user engagement in building...

In this episode of the Geomob podcast, host Steven welcomes Quintin Lake, a renowned photographer who undertook an epic five-year journey walking the entire coastline of mainland Britain. Quintin shares insights about his experiences, the challenges he faced, and the inspiration behind his book, 'The Perimeter'. The conversation delves into the structure of the book, his favorite photographs, and...

Ed chats with Peter Rabley, the CEO of the Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC). They discuss Peter's journey into the geospatial field, the role and importance of OGC in promoting interoperability through open standards, and the challenges and opportunities in the rapidly evolving technological landscape. Peter reflects on his first year as CEO, emphasizing the commitment of members to open standards...

Steven welcomes Miguel Álvarez, a cartographer and telecommunications engineer to discuss his website Mappas Milhaud and his blog, A Cartographer's Tale. He shares his journey into the world of maps and geography, starting from a young age with a passion for atlases, the creation of his map catalogue Mapas Milhaud, and the storytelling aspect of his writing in the Cartographer's Tale. The conversa...

Alastair welcomes Dr. Olly Bartlett to the Geomob podcast to discuss the trend of greening in Antarctica. Olly shares his journey into remote sensing and explains how the study of moss banks can reveal how these ecosystems have been affected over time. They explore the use of Google Earth Engine for research and the potential risks of invasive species in fragile ecosystems.  Show notes on the Geom...

Ed interviews Silas Toms, co-organizer of the recent GeoMeetup/Geomob event in San Francisco. Silas shares his background in geospatial technology, the revival of the GeoMeetup culture, and the success of the recent event, which featured a diverse lineup of speakers from major tech companies and government agencies. The conversation highlights the importance of community building, networking, and...

Steven interviews Dean Paulley, Head of Data Products at Ordnance Survey, about the recent launch of roof data. This feature leverages machine learning to generate detailed information about rooftops across Great Britain. Dean discusses the innovative use of aerial imagery, the challenges faced in data generation, and the various applications of roof data for different sectors, including governmen...

In this Geomob podcast episode, Alastair welcomes Max Lenormand back to discuss his current geospatial data science work at Fused. Max shares insights into the challenges faced by data scientists and lays out how Fused aims to simplify serverless computing for data analysis. The conversation covers the importance of user-defined functions, real-world applications of their tools, and the future of...

Ed and Steven discuss the latest developments at OpenCage, including the upcoming launch of spreadsheet upload functionality and the introduction of MCPs (Model Connector Protocols). They also share exciting news about new sponsorships, including ThunderForest 's renewal as a London sponsor and the OGC becoming a "Global Supporter". Next, the discussion turns to upcoming events, including the firs...

Steven welcomes Keir Clarke to the pod.  They discuss Keir's journey from English teacher to prominent figure in the online mapping community. The conversation covers Maps Mania's evolution, election maps' significance and reflections on 20 years of mapping. There is also discussion on Scrambled Maps, the most addictive geo-game on the net. Note: Apologies, there is some slight clipping on the fir...

Adam DuVander returns to the podcast to discuss the evolving geospatial developer landscape, particularly in the context of low-code tools and AI's impact on the industry. They explore the scepticism surrounding AI's reliability in geospatial services, the blind trust some developers place in AI outputs, and the challenges of ensuring data accuracy. The conversation also touches on the importance...

In this episode, Ed and Steven discuss exciting developments in the Geomob community, including renewed sponsorships (thank you Esri UK!) and upcoming events in various cities - including San Francisco! -. Steven attended Geovation's 15th anniversary event. They also ponder Niantic's recent strategic shift from gaming to a focus on spatial technology. Show notes on the Geomob website , where you c...

Steven Ramage joins our host Alastair to discuss his extensive career journey in the geospatial sector. He delves into several of his roles, ranging from GEO to CEOS, highlights the importance of biodiversity monitoring through initiatives like GEOBON and emphasises the critical role of monitoring ecosystem health. Steven also discusses his current work with Réseau Consulting, focusing on mentorin...

In this episode of the Geomob podcast, Peter Petrik, CEO of Mergin Maps and managing partner at Lutra Consulting, shares his journey from a developer to a leader in the open-source GIS community. He discusses the evolution of Mergin Maps, its features, and its significance in field data collection. The conversation also delves into the business model of open-source GIS, Lutra's contributions to QG...

In this episode of the Geomob podcast, Alastair speaks with Claire Neil, Principal EO Scientist at the Scottish Environment Protection Agency's (SEPA) new Satellite Emergency Mapping Service (SEMS). They discuss Claire's journey in Earth observation, the operational use of SEMS during disasters, the challenges of data processing, and the future developments in Earth observation capabilities at SEP...

In this episode, Ed and Steven discuss their experiences at the recent Geomob events in Edinburgh, London, and Berlin. They reflect on the vibrant community, the engaging talks, and the importance of sponsorship for future events. The conversation turns to how Geomob might grow, and plans for expansion into new cities, including potential events in North America. Show notes on the Geomob website ,...

Ed interviews Chris Beddow, a prominent figure in the geospatial community and author of the Worldbuilder newsletter. Chris speaks about his work with geospatial technology, his experiences with OpenStreetMap and Mapillary, and the motivations behind his newsletter. The conversation delves into the evolution of maps, the impact of technology on geospatial practices, and the challenges large mappin...

For this week's Geomob podcast, we shake things up a bit. Alastair interviews Nick Everard, a senior hydrometric scientist, about the advancements in hydrometry and river flow measurement. They discuss the evolution of measurement techniques from traditional methods to modern technologies like remote-controlled boats, drones, and satellites. Nick emphasises the importance of accurate data collecti...